


Touch of Magic

by taethereal



Category: Girl's Day (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Historical, Anal Sex, Fae & Fairies, Fairy Tale Curses, Fairy Tale Elements, Hand Jobs, Love at First Sight, M/M, Magic, Romance, Side Jihope, Side Yoonseok, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-07-04
Packaged: 2018-04-07 13:22:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4264776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taethereal/pseuds/taethereal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hoseok lives his life under the veil of a dark curse until one day he meets a stranger that changes everything with just the touch of a hand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Touch of Magic

"A-ah, Yoongi," Hoseok hisses into his down pillow, fingers digging into the tufted fabric of his headboard. "More, please!"

Yoongi growls low in his throat and grinds his rock-hard erection against the cleft of Hoseok's ass. It's hot, midsummer, and the sweat between their bodies is slick, allowing for a smooth slide as Yoongi moves down the back of Hoseok's thighs.

His preparation is almost careless in its urgency but Hoseok twitches and squirms under his clearly experienced touch. Just when he thinks he can't take anymore, Yoongi changes his rhythm, moves his fingertips in brushing circles and Hoseok descends farther into oblivion.

"I want- to see you-" Hoseok moans between breaths, lifting easily under Yoongi to turn himself on his back. "Please, now," he urges, wrapping taut legs around Yoongi's tapered waist.

"You're sure?" Yoongi stutters, fingers pausing just against the inside of Hoseok's thighs.

Hoseok is mad with lust but he's also had plenty of time to think about this exact situation. Months with Yoongi and he is positive that _this_  is what's right.

"I've never been more sure," he starts and pulls Yoongi flush against his chest for a deep kiss. When the older boy pulls away, Hoseok holds him close for an extra second. "I love you, Yoongi," he whispers, lips ghosting over Yoongi's jawline.

Yoongi doesn't jerk away like Yoojin had done, or choke on his words like Jimin had, but he is frozen in place. Hoseok waits with bated breath as a myriad of emotions flicker across Yoongi's face.

"I- I-..." Yoongi strains to find the right words and Hoseok can see the despair in his eyes. _He wants to say it,_  Hoseok thinks, hopeful right to the very end. Soon enough though, Yoongi's face wilts and he sits back on the bed. "I was so sure," Yoongi says, more to himself than Hoseok. "I really thought-"

"You don't have to defend yourself," Hoseok sighs, sliding to the end of the bed to sit beside Yoongi. "You can't force yourself."

"I'm sorry, Hoseok, I didn't mean to... I didn't want it to happen like this."

Hoseok can feel tears building behind his eyes and he sends Yoongi away with a promise to send word for him later. When he's finally alone in his chambers, he throws himself face first into his thick blanket and cries until nothing is left.

.....

_Hoseok has heard the tale recounted a thousand times, from the point of view of his parents, his older brother, aunts and uncles and scullery maids and anyone else who happened to be in attendance at his name day celebration. The minor details seem to twist to fit whatever point the teller is trying to make, but the gist of it always remains the same. It was a lovely feast, they say, followed by a tragic turn of events that nobody saw coming._

_The King and Queen had prepared everything far in advance for the celebration in honor of their second son. The tables were laid with the finest linens, even the benches lining them draped in silk dyed in the royal family's colors. The meal had been spread over countless courses, every villager jumping at the chance to provide food for the prince's feast. Plump roast hens, pigs cooked slow over fire pits, the biggest, most colorful vegetables from farms across the land... all prepared in honor of a babe not yet old enough to eat them._

_The entertainment had lasted into the wee hours of the night, with performers traveling weeks to be seen in the royal court. Jesters and dance troupes wowed the crowd while musicians kept up a steady flow of songs both old and new. The ale had been flowing freely as the final singers took the stage, receiving howls of approval as they sang a bawdy tale written just for the new prince._

_The last strains from a finely-tuned banjo were dying out when an unnatural warmth flooded the room. Weaving through the crowd, three beautiful women made their way to the front of the great hall, where an infant Hoseok lay happily gurgling in a fur-trimmed bassinet. The women looked like sisters, smooth, gentle faces belying their true ages._

_"My king," said the first, sweeping into a low bow, the pale pink chiffon of her dress rustling musically._

_"My queen," the second mimicked, dipping just as low in a sky blue dress that looked the twin of her sisters._

_"Our princes," the third, in buttercup yellow, cooed, directing her attention first at Hoseok and then at his older brother, Seokjin._

_The King's smile had been broad, beaming at the good luck of having such a trio show at their feast. Their names were well known though they rarely made appearances, especially at such public gatherings._

_"Sojin, Minah, Hyeri, you honor us with your presence," he boomed across the wide hall, drawing gasps from the back of the crowd who hadn't seen them come in. "To what do we owe such good fortune?"_

_Giggling attractively behind closed fists, the three women glided to surround Hoseok in his crib._

_"We come to give our good wishes to the new prince," Sojin smiled, brushing her thumb over the infant's brow._

_"A blessing from each of us for such an important boy," Minah added._

_Hyeri only affectionately murmured into the bassinet, fingers playing over the fine blanket._

_"We are lucky to be graced by your appearance alone," the Queen responded graciously, "but you give us an even greater gift on top of it."_

_An electric shiver ran through the warm air as the three sisters shared a knowing glance between them. Minah and Hyeri stepped away as Sojin moved to stand directly in front of the crib, one palm resting gently on the babe's chest._

_"I wish upon this child a lifetime of physical beauty, such that his image will be coveted and treasured across the broad expanse of these lands. His face will become famous and his physique renown, as is fitting for a child of his station."_

_The crowd murmured over such a generous gift but barely had time to digest it before Minah began to move forward, taking the place of her sister._

_Her soft voice tinkled across the room. "I gift this child with an undying sense of romance, a virtue sometimes lost among royal children. He, above all else, will value love in all it's wonderful glory."_

_The King and Queen gazed affectionately at each other. In such situations, with an older son who would be more than ready to take over for his father when the time came, a second son could more freely pursue the whims of his heart. The crowd responded appreciatively as well, murmuring their approval of such fine blessings. Hyeri began to move forward when a clap of thunder boomed outside, bringing the party to an abrupt hush._

_The great, wide doors of the hall swung open dramatically and a mystical fog floated in, barely blurring the shape of someone entering._

_The first to see her gave a great gasp and the rippling of hushed whispers traveled all the way to the front, leaving even the three beautiful sisters huddling together nervously._

_From the cloud of fog stepped a dark-haired beauty in a velvety gown of blood red. A hood obscured her face until she stood directly in front of the King and Queen, drawing it back with dramatic flair._

_"Yura," the King greeted her, a tinge of unease managing to leak into his tone._

_"My liege," she smirked. "What a lovely party. Pity I never received my invitation."_

_"Yura, no slight was meant," the Queen rushed to interject and smooth out the situation. "We meant for the feast to be open to the public and foolishly assumed that all in the kingdom were aware of it."_

_"I must have missed the announcement," Yura purred, circling the babe's crib with a predatory grin. "It seems blessings are being given, surely I'm not too late to share one of my own?"_

_Her quirked eyebrow and pointed fingernail dragging lightly down the prince's cheek sent an apparent shudder down the spines of the royal family. Hyeri made to move forward and intervene but was held in place by her sisters._

_"It seems the babe has been given lovely gifts already, but maybe something a bit more practical is in store to maintain balance."  Yura tapped her chin thoughtfully and leaned ominously close to Hoseok's cherubic face. "Beautiful he will be, and a true romantic, which will surely draw a wide range of suitors to the castle's door. However, shouldn't he be protected from those who would do him wrong?"_

_She paused, looking around the room for approval. "To help this child see truth from lie, may no man or woman ever proclaim their love for him unless they truly and wholeheartedly mean it."_

_The Queen's face was ghostly white by the time the dark witch finished her blessing, an image reflected on the faces of all in attendance. And as quickly as she had come, the woman in red disappeared, the echo of her cackling laughter swirling around the room and leaving a chill in each person's bones._

_The King and Queen shared a muted conversation, clearly concerned over what this 'blessing' could mean. At face value, it wasn't the worst the witch could have done but it's implications seemed farther reaching._

_Hyeri stepped forward then, her sunny yellow gown a welcome contrast to the devilish one worn by Yura._

_"I cannot undo what this wayward woman has done, but I will make this blessing in hopes that it will temper her evil." The King looked at her with such hope in his eyes that the crowd themselves waited on tenterhooks for her next words. "Though Yura has made it difficult for our prince to find love, I gift him with this: the guarantee that one day, though the struggle may be great, he will find the one great love of his life, and that person shall return his love with an innocent, wholesome heart."_

_The tension in the room eased at her kind gift and the King and Queen, in a rather unroyal manner, rushed from the dais to gather the three sisters in their arms and usher them behind closed doors. The party quickly dwindled away as villagers still shocked from the appearance of such a malevolent being made their ways quickly home. The unexpected dispersal didn't stop the village rumor mill from beginning a long cycle that would last well into Hoseok's teenage years and beyond._

.....

Seokjin, with his near-supernatural perception when it comes to his only brother, doesn't waste time in searching the younger out when he sees Yoongi sulking away from the castle grounds. To Hoseok's chagrin, he doesn't bother knocking on his brother's broad oaken door, choosing instead to walk in as if he owns the place. He will someday, Hoseok knows, but that doesn't give him full reign just yet.

"Seokjin, not right now," he groans, fisting at his already-swollen eyes.

Ignoring his protests, Seokjin makes himself comfortable nearby, slipping off the thin gold circlet that marks him out as a future king so he can lean back into the plush bedding.

"Are you okay?" the older finally asks, when Hoseok's hiccups have subsided and his sniffles are barely audible.

"Do I look okay?" Hoseok smarts back, dashing away a stray tear and turning an angry eye on his brother.

"You know he loves you, Hoseok, it's been months," Seokjin reasons, sitting up to clasp Hoseok's hands in his own.

Hoseok snorts derisively. "He obviously doesn't," he snaps. "You know that as well as I do."

"Just because he didn't say it-"

"He tried and he couldn't! So that's exactly what it means!" Hoseok's voice rises and he stands up, hands clenched in angry fists. "He was using me just like the rest of them!"

Seokjin's mouth is open in surprise. He had thought, as he knew Hoseok did, that Yoongi had been honest with his intentions. A prince from a much larger neighboring kingdom, he wouldn't have much to gain from the second son of a lesser king. It had seemed too good to be true and now Seokjin can see that maybe it was.

"Don't forget the third blessing, Hoseok. Just because Yoongi wasn't the one, it isn't the end of the story..." Seokjin says softly, drawing his brother back down to the bed.

"I know, I know, I just- you know I can't help it, Seokjin. Those blessings were more like curses than anything that witch did to me." Hoseok's voice wavers between sadness and indignance and Seokjin is glad to hear some of the fight returning to his attitude.

"I think you'll see the wisdom in them someday, little brother," Seokjin smiles. "Now, what do you say to sneaking into the kitchens and stealing a few sweet rolls? There's a feast in a few days to welcome one of father's allies, so you know they're fresh!"

Hoseok feigns indecision for a few moments, lip tucked between his teeth and eyes casting around the room for an excuse to say no, but eventually he agrees. Of all of Seokjin's kingly attributes, his gift of persuasion is high on the list. And sweet rolls have always been Hoseok's favorite anyways.

.....

As promised, the welcoming feast is a prime example of their father's wealth. It isn't the first Hoseok has attended, but it is certainly the most grand. Their grounds are covered in makeshift tents and lean-tos, temporary shelter for the hundreds of cooks, entertainers, pageboys, and squires. Add to that the townspeople who'd traveled with their kings and the residents of their own kingdom and Hoseok is certain the countryside can't sustain them all for long. The merriment is enough to take Hoseok's mind off of Yoongi's departure, who left under cover of darkness with very little fanfare, especially for a prince of his standing.

Seokjin tries incredibly hard to get Hoseok involved in the festivities, dragging him to every dance and dinner that is scheduled. Hoseok is always a popular attendee, due largely in fact to what he recognizes as his attractive features. Several times throughout the first few evenings, he finds himself shooing away brazen maidens in silky laced gowns who followed him right to his bedroom door.

The fourth night of feasting culminates in a round of story-telling, with two bards, one from each kingdom, taking turns telling outlandish tales of heroic deeds and beautiful girls. Hoseok slips into the main hall just as their court's bard takes his seat and his rival returns to the stage. The man appears to be near Hoseok's age and is dressed simply yet richly in dark velvet pants and a loose black tunic tucked into the top. His boots are black kidskin, and show just enough wear as to not appear gaudy. His hair is dark too, a chocolatey brown in the candlelight, throwing his strong features into relief.

Hoseok is a little more mesmerized than he'd like to admit but he quickly takes a seat at his brother's side, settling into the plush cushions. The bard takes up a small stringed instrument that Hoseok can't put a name to and plucks a chilling chord. The tale he begins is darkly humorous, downright chilling in places, lightened by black humor and the jarring notes of his instrument. His voice is smooth and dangerously low, it's timber brushing against Hoseok's ear drums in a way that seems embarrassingly intimate. 

By the end of the tale, Hoseok is enraptured and entirely misses the cue for applause. His seat at the high table, to the left of the crown prince, makes him highly visible when the bard turns to bow and seek approval from the king. Hoseok claps his open mouth shut stupidly, trying to hide the gesture with the back of his hand. There's a twinkle in the singer's eye though that says he doesn't miss the motion.

"What's your name, boy?" Hoseok hears his father boom jovially.

In the true unabashed style of a bard, the man gives another dramatic bow before answering. "Kim Taehyung, if it please you, my lord."

"You please us greatly," the king replies and Taehyung's smile grows impossibly wider. "I hope you'll honor us with your performance again before the festivities are over."

"I'd be honored!" Taehyung responds hastily, drawing a gurgle of laughter from the hawk-eyes crowd.

Hoseok finds himself smiling naturally at the eager nature of this singer after such a touching, serious performance. The bard catches his eye mid-laugh and Hoseok sees a subtle shift in Taehyung's expression, a minute squint of his eyes and the quirk of one side of his mouth. For some reason, the reaction throws Hoseok off and he hides his flush behind an upraised palm. Taehyung must sense his discomfort because he looks away quickly, moving to shake hands and share drinks with some of the other festival-goers.

Hoseok can feel the tips of his ears burning red and so excuses himself to freshen up. The castle's lavatory is dark save for a solitary torch beside the circle of polished bronze over the washing basin. Hoseok splashes himself repeatedly to take away some of the color staining his cheeks and then wipes the moisture away with a soft strip of linen. Leaning heavily on the edges of the basin, he looks up to examine his reflection. He still looks _affected_  but slightly less so. His eyes still sport dark circles below them from losing sleep over Yoongi and the month's they'd wasted. Just as his mind begins to wander down paths too dark for such a festive evening, there is a creak as the door opens.

"Prince Hoseok."

The voice echoing through the chamber is impossibly familiar, though Hoseok has only just heard it for the first time less than an hour ago. He spins in place, bracing himself with one hand to avoid slipping like the fool he feels.

"Kim Taehyung," he greets, trying to maintain a chilly formality to offset the mild fluttering of his heart.

Taehyung laughs then, loud and hardy, and the sound bounces around the stone walls like sunlight off a rippling lake. 

"Am I so funny?" Hoseok asks, unsure of what he's done to garner such a reaction.

"No, no! I just..." Taehyung pauses and Hoseok can see he is choosing his words carefully. "I've sung your story a thousand times and here you stand in the flesh, calling me by name."

"My story..." Hoseok repeats the words, oblivious to Taehyung's beaming face. Anger builds inside him at the thought of being pegged as fodder for some grand tale, one to laugh and cry over at crowded dinners. He knows every person in the kingdom knows his twisted past but the thought of being some sympathetic hero in great halls across the land is too much. "You know nothing of my story! How dare you presume to understand what I've been through!"

Hoseok throws down the rag he's been twisting through nervous fingers and storms past Taehyung, who is frozen in place and allows Hoseok to knock right into him on his way past. The prince makes his way straight for the barrel of fine wine sent from the dusky lands across the wide sea and drinks until a pretty girl with copper-colored hair offers to escort him back to his quarters.

Even the copious amount of drink he's consumed doesn't soften the ache in Hoseok's chest or allow him to give himself over to the beautiful stranger. She pouts as he shoos her out of the room but he's fitfully asleep before the door even closes.

.....

The next day, Seokjin rouses Hoseok bright and early to visit the fields for a jousting competition. The sun assaults Hoseok as soon as Seokjin pulls the curtain back but he can't admit to his older brother just how much he drank the previous night. Instead, he lets the future king tug him into a pair of fitted leggings and a loose, airy tunic to combat the afternoon heat. They take their seats under the royal canopy and Hoseok promptly lets his eyes drift closed.

On the brink of sleep, Hoseok is jolted back to awareness by a thundering voice announcing the first round of combat.

"Oh! Father's gotten the singer from last night, how fun!" Seokjin exclaims gleefully. "He'll put on a fine show!"

Hoseok doesn't dare to disagree and opts for a noncommittal grumble instead. The last person he cares to see is beautiful, rude Kim Taehyung, whose face has been imprinted on his eyelids for too long already.

Seokjin is right though; Taehyung was born to be the center of attention. His skills go far beyond storytelling- between matches, he dances and juggles and sings nonsensical tunes to entertain the children. By the end of the first round, he's become the main attraction, standing out in bold blue and red checkers and a bright, white smile. Hoseok tries his hardest to appear disdainful, but catches himself laughing at some of the man's more ridiculous antics.

The championship ends up going to a knight from their father's army, as everyone expects. Taehyung happily wreathes the winner's steed in a ring of flowers and then slinks back into the shadows to allow the winner his spotlight. His maneuvering brings him dangerously close to the edge of the royal canopy and Hoseok pulls his limbs in as tightly as possible to avoid attention.

"You're angry," he hears Taehyung whisper from the side of his mouth, eyes trained forward on the ensuing spectacle of victory.

Hoseok's first instinct is to argue but he knows it's neither the time or the place. "And you're presumptuous," he finally hisses, crossing his arms stubbornly over his chest.

He sees the barely perceptible shake of Taehyung's head before the other responds. "I didn't mean to upset you. I spoke too hastily in my excitement to finally meet you."

"You talk about me like I'm some mythic figure, but your little songs can't possibly encompass the struggle I've had to live through." Hoseok bites his tongue then because speaking like this to a total stranger isn't in keeping with his status and it's more than a little embarrassing anyways.

Taehyung turns slowly, hands held out in a cautious gesture. "Then tell me your story, Hoseok. Tell me and I'll never sing of it again."

.....

The courtyard beyond Hoseok's chambers is lit only by moonlight as he drapes a cloak over his shoulders and finds a soft spot in the grass. An owl perches in the lower branches of the small elm tree, watching him warily. The fountain in the very center of the yard bubbles endlessly and the noise almost drowns out the soft pad of footsteps on cobblestone.

Hoseok tilts his head up to see Taehyung mere feet away, garbed in dark clothing with a rich, maroon cloak wrapped around himself.

"You came," the singer says reverently.

"Only to end your foolish storytelling," Hoseok sneers, but this late at night, he finds it hard to instill any venom into his words.

Slowly, Taehyung sits across from him in the grass, disconcertingly close and staring right into his eyes. The darkness only makes Taehyung's features more striking, his strong nose, high cheekbones, and perfect Cupid's bow highlighted by the soft white moonlight. He can sense the bard's apprehension, but it's tempered by excitement.

"You do me an honor just to accept my presence," Taehyung says in hushed tones, formal and slightly stiff compared to his earlier antics.

Hoseok's skin crawls at the thought of telling his life's story to this strange man but he feels the need to set the record straight. He doesn't want to be seen as a hero, or a fool, for any longer.

"I assume you know the tale of my name day feast?" he starts, because of all his dark history, that part is the most well-known. Taehyung nods gravely and silently urges Hoseok to elaborate. "Nobody really understood the dark witch's curse, or just how it would affect me until I got older. Some even said it was a blessing, that nobody could ever falsify their feelings for me, but its dark shadow has caused much more pain than it's relieved."

Taehyung is twisting his fingers into the hem of his nightshirt and Hoseok can practically feel the words fighting behind his sealed lips. He gives a pointed sigh and waits patiently for Taehyung to formulate his question.

Taehyung looks up at him through impossibly long lashes, blushing from one cheek to the other. "So you've been in love then?"

Hoseok scoffs more harshly than he intends. "Being in love requires mutual feelings, doesn't it? I've blindly loved people who had no intentions of returning that feeling though, yes."

The shine in Taehyung's eyes can only be attributed to what Hoseok guesses is a natural curiosity for a good tale. "How do you know? That they don't... feel the same, I mean?"

"The curse is literal in that sense," Hoseok explains. "If someone who didn't... love... me tried to say they did, their words would catch in their throat like sticky molasses. They simply can't say it."

Taehyung hums in understanding, the wheels in his brain turning. "Would you, if it's not too much, tell me of a time this has happened to you?"

Hoseok blanches at the request. He hadn't prepared for such a specific, and overly personal, request. Taehyung is leaning in so close now, their knees _almost_  brushing and Hoseok can see the rapt attention in the other's eyes. There's something about Taehyung's aura that feels innocent, maybe even trustworthy. Not that Hoseok's ever been the greatest judge of people's characters, he thinks, but Taehyung just seems different.

He can't speak of Yoongi when the wound he'd left behind is still so fresh. Unfortunately, he has many other sad stories to choose from. Thinking back, some certainly left deeper impressions than others.

"You know Prince Jimin?" he asks softly, not looking up.

Taehyung pauses before nodding in affirmation.

"Then you know he's the first son of one of the most powerful kings alive. When he came to court, everybody assumed he was sent here to woo Seokjin, so we were all shocked when he showed interest in me instead. He was... He swept me off my feet, to be honest with you." 

Hoseok pauses and remembers his early memories of Jimin- the horseback rides around the lake, picnics in this very courtyard, stolen kisses behind tapestries in busy hallways. He feels tears welling in his eyes as the falsity of each sweet moment shatters the illusions he'd once held.

"You don't have to." Taehyung's words are kind, and sincere as far as Hoseok can tell. The bard is looking at him with an alarming amount of tenderness. Hoseok shakes his head, determined now to finish the story.

"Jimin is a special breed. He stayed just distant enough that love never came up in verbal discussion, but his actions seemed so clearly to indicate how he felt. I never imagined... I never imagined that he was just using me for- for physical pleasure. He stayed at the castle for months, until his father sent a rider to say that his betrothed was finally of age to wed. He would have left without even speaking to me had I not sought him out."

"What did you say to him?" Taehyung asks eagerly, before noticing and drawing away slightly in apology.

"I told him I loved him, a hundred times I said the words while he just stared at me. When I asked why he was leaving, he told me that he had to, because his father was making him return to an arranged marriage he'd tried to escape from. Like an idiot, I asked if he loved me too." Hoseok pauses, gathering his strength for the tragic end of a tragic story. "He looked at me for a long moment and I thought certainly he was going to say it back to me and that everything would work out. But when he finally tried, the words wouldn't come. I thought he was choking at first. When we both realized what was happening, the look of shock disappeared from Jimin's face and he gave me a devastating smile."

A quiet curse leaves Taehyung's lips and Hoseok figures he's guessed how the story ends.

"That smile was the end of whatever charade Jimin had been upholding. He laughed at me and thanked me for the sex like I'd done it as a favor to him. He... He basically admitted to using me until his princess came of age, some fun little game to keep him busy."

Hoseok looks up, expecting Taehyung to look sympathetic and to be at a loss for words, as so many people who know his story act. Instead, Taehyung looks timidly determined.

"You still feel this as keenly as ever," he states.

"Time doesn't heal all wounds," Hoseok responds sadly, making to stand up. All of this confessing has left him exhausted and he's ready to fall into his feathery bed and sleep off the pain.

Taehyung catches his wrist before he can go and an unnatural warmth spreads up Hoseok's arm. "I leave after tomorrow night's festivities," Taehyung starts, "but I'd like to... help you, if I can."

"It's not that I don't appreciate the offer, Taehyung, but unless you can undo curses, I'm not sure there's anything you can do."

Taehyung drops Hoseok's wrist and takes a step back. "Meet me here again tomorrow night, before my caravan leaves."

Confused but intrigued, Hoseok gives Taehyung a terse nod before spinning away and racing back to his chambers.

.....

Hoseok attends the last night of activities at Seokjin's urging, his older brother clearly sensing that something is going on. Hoseok plays the part of prince as he always does, accepting dances from visiting dignitaries and kitchen girls alike. He spots Taehyung several times, sitting with the musicians and striking up a tune or two, each one more lively than the last. Taehyung catches his eye once and the bard's face pulls into a hopeful grin, eyebrows raised. Hoseok returns the smile before being whisked away by his mother to try the newest batch of pastries from the kitchen.

Hoseok is so exhausted from the whirlwind of activity that he almost forgets to sneak into the courtyard when the moon has risen above the castle battlements. Sure enough, Taehyung is already waiting for him, dressed in simple traveling garb, shades of brown and green complimenting his dark hair and eyes.

"My prince," Taehyung greets him, sweeping into a bow. "Nobody told me you were such an accomplished dancer."

Hoseok flushes at the implication that Taehyung had been watching him. "It comes with the royal territory," he explains, brushing away the compliment. Still, he sits down across from Taehyung on the dewy lawn, fingers fiddling with a pale buttercup stem.

"I'm not sure what we're doing here," he finally says, glancing up at Taehyung through his fringe.

Taehyung starts and stops his words a few times, carefully deciding what to say. "I think- if you're open to it, I mean- that I could help you."

"Taehyung-"

"I can't undo the witch's curse, or prevent it from manifesting itself again, but I have other skills that could... ease the pain." Taehyung is looking at him with his lip caught between his teeth and Hoseok catches himself staring a second too long at the light indentations they leave on his skin.

"I don't know how," he states simply, dropping his head into his hand.

"Just, do as I say, and I'll show you." Taehyung waits for disapproval and forges forward when none comes. "Think of the most recent... incident... you've had to go through."

Yoongi's face flashes painfully behind Hoseok's closed eyelids and he can already feel the creeping anxiety of reliving yet another of his hopeless mistakes.

"Keep remembering, I know it's hard," Taehyung says soothingly and Hoseok can sense him drawing nearer even with closed eyes. "I'm going to touch your hand now."

Hoseok feels warmth traveling from his fingertips up his forearm, starting exactly where Taehyung's skin meets his own. "T-Taehyung, what are you-?"

Taehyung hushes him softly. "Concentrate, Hoseok. Think about the hurt, the betrayal. I need you to bring it to the front of your mind so I can reach it."

His words alone are enough to have Hoseok picturing the look on Yoongi's face as he realized he didn't love him, the crestfallen tilt of his lips when the words couldn't come out. The heat from Taehyung's touch travels up to his shoulder and Hoseok feels it spread across his chest. He dares to open his eyes and sees Taehyung caught in such an intense state of concentration that he barely seems to breathe.

"Keep going, Hoseok, I'm almost there," Taehyung pants, exertion straining his honeyed voice.

Hoseok remembers the way his heart had constricted as Yoongi turned his back and walked away, the tears he'd shed into first his blankets and then Seokjin's shoulders as the realization struck that he'd once again fallen into a one-sided love. Hot tears begin to spill down his face just as the heat in his chest blossoms.

"I've got you," Taehyung murmurs, squeezing Hoseok's hand a little harder and intensifying the foreign feeling spreading through Hoseok's veins. "I can do this."

As Hoseok sits caught in the hold of whatever Taehyung is doing, the empty ache he's been feeling for as long as he remembers begins to lessen. The Yoongi-shaped hole in his heart feels a little softer around the edges, as if the heat Taehyung is pushing through his veins is taking away some of the sharpness. There is a strange lightness taking the place of the weight Yoongi's departure had planted solidly in his stomach.

Hoseok can feel a smile through the midst of his tears only a moment before Taehyung's hand drops away. Dreamily, Hoseok's eyes flutter open to see a thoroughly exhausted Taehyung, shoulders sagging but face painted with pride. The immediate warmth wears away but the effect of lightness, the absence of sadness, still lingers. Hoseok scans his body as if he can't believe what he's feeling.

"It's mostly permanent," Taehyung explains. "Stronger when I'm actually in the act, but it'll last, I think."

"What did you do?" Hoseok isn't necessarily scared of whatever power Taehyung holds, but he needs to know more.

"I've always been able to," Taehyung says, forehead scrunched as if even he is confused by what he can do. "I just, I can make people feel better."

"Thank you," Hoseok murmurs, reveling for a moment in the lessening of his pain. He can feel that it's not all gone, but when his mind reverts to Yoongi, the sting is so much less, bearable even.

"I should go," Taehyung says dejectedly. "They'll leave without me if I'm not careful."

Panicked, Hoseok jumps to his feet. "I'll see you again?"

"I hope so," Taehyung smiles, and it's impishly affectionate. "Goodnight, Hoseok."

.....

Weeks pass after the festival without so much as loud noises in the castle. Everyone seems worn out from both the party's preparation and its execution. Even Seokjin seems distracted lately, more often than not spending hours in his chambers while Hoseok wiles away the time by himself. He's surprised when he receives a letter from Yoongi, crumbling up some fine bread for the snowy white pigeon who perches languidly on his windowsill.

What surprises Hoseok even more though, is that he can read the letter without his emotions overwhelming him. Mostly, Yoongi writes about the time they've spent apart, his battle training and the new squire who all but worships the ground he walks on. At the end of the letter, in smudged ink, Yoongi pens an apology. He says he doesn't know why things worked out like this, but maybe fate has destined them for different things.

Hoseok's smile is weak, but he finds no sadness in the words. After time, and Taehyung's tending, he realizes that of all people, Yoongi never meant him any harm. As his letter said, they just weren't meant to be no matter how hard they may have tried.

The pigeon waits patiently as Hoseok pulls a small roll of parchment from his desk drawer and dips his quill. His words flow out hastily but their meaning is clear: he will survive. And he forgives Yoongi, or at least realizes that there is nothing to forgive. He even finds the strength to tell tales of the fine gathering they'd had, though he leaves out the mysterious bard with a healing touch. When he finishes, he uses a thin cord to attach the parchment to the bird's leg and sends it off with another morsel of bread.

He's barely seen the bird out of sight when there's a knock on his door. Hastily, he cleans up his writing supplies and rushes to answer. Outside, Seokjin stands look uncharacteristically disheveled.

"Brother? You seem out of sorts," Hoseok observes, waving him inside.

Seokjin takes an uncomfortable seat at the edge of Hoseok's bed and beckons him to join with a pat on the blanket top.

"You're worrying me," Hoseok says nervously, brows drawn together.

"Hoseok, I'm to be married."

Seokjin's voice waivers and he doesn't make eye contact. The reticence takes Hoseok by surprise.

"Seokjin! What wonderful news!" Hoseok's smile fades quickly when his older brother looks up at him with a grim countenance. "You're troubled by this?"

"The match was made for me, and though it is one I couldn't imagine rejecting, I fear it will cause you more pain than anything."

Hoseok feels a knot tighten in his stomach. Who could Seokjin possibly be marrying that would hurt him?"

"Father has arranged the entire thing with the King across the valley. I'm to wed Prince Jimin's younger sister, Hoseok."

Hoseok feels lightheaded at the mention of Jimin's name, not able to comprehend the full weight of Seokjin's engagement while his mind processes the bitter memories.

"She's a beautiful girl, Hoseok, and as sweet as a flower. Even without father's encouragement, I would choose her out of any. The thorn on this rose is her brother, I know, but there is no way around it now. I wanted you to hear this news from me, and to know how the thought of him stepping foot in this castle again sickens me to the core."

Sincerity flows through Seokjin's words and Hoseok can see both his remorse and his love for his princess. Gathering his strength, he claps a hand over Seokjin's slumped shoulder.

"I wouldn't let someone like him ruin such a joyous occasion," he says, trying to feel as confident as his words sound. "Come, let's celebrate! We'll raid the wine casks and take the horses for a round!"

Seokjin looks up at him with red-rimmed eyes and Hoseok plasters a painfully fake smile across his cheeks. He knows Seokjin is overwhelmed with emotion when he doesn't recognize the falsity of Hoseok's excitement. With bile rising in the back of his throat at the thought of a royal wedding involving Jimin or his family, Hoseok drags his brother out for a hazily drunken horseback ride around the grounds that results in more than a few bruises for the both of them.

The wedding is set for a warm spring day, with the bride's parents having planned and paid for the majority of the gathering. Hoseok rides sullenly near the back of the caravan with some of his father's stable boys and the other royal attendants. As much as he wishes to be in the carriage with his family, celebrating Seokjin's impending nuptials, he's in knots over the possibility of speaking to, or even seeing, Jimin again. He tries instead to focus on the fine food and entertainment he's sure to experience at such a lavish affair. Blessed as he is, a few extra servings of dessert could help the heartache.

What Hoseok doesn't expect to see as their traveling party enters the castle grounds, is a familiar head of brunette hair, foolishly juggling a slew of gourds. All heads turn as they enter and Taehyung is no exception. Hoseok watches his eyes travel down the column of riders until their gazes meet and Taehyung's face splits into a furtive grin. Hoseok returns it with a small wave, hoping sincerely that they'll get a chance to meet sometime later.

The first day in the king across the valley's castle is spent in clothes fittings and rehearsals and taste testings, each one more tedious than the next. Hoseok endures it with aplomb though, because one look in Seokjin's direction and he can _feel_  the happiness emanating from his brother and the princess. He's also been told that Prince Jimin is off on a hunting trip that's expected to last days, so he allows himself time to live out from under the constant tension of their reunion.

Unfortunately, he isn't able to track Taehyung down despite his best efforts. He gets caught multiple times sneaking towards the entertainers' quarters, hoping a knock on the right door will reveal his new confidante. Each time his mother or a maid or his squire catches him out of bed, he feigns being lost in the foreign castle. He gives up after a few nights when the looks he gets from his unnecessary rescuers go from amused to concerned.

The morning of the wedding itself is bright and buzzing with birdsong. The ceremony is set to take place in the castle's great domed chapel with a feast to follow outdoors in a courtyard large enough to encompass Hoseok's family castle entirely. Flowers decorate the rows of wooden benches filling the chapel's floor and behind them, villagers are standing back to front for a chance to see the royal wedding. Hoseok's place is at his brother's side, a position of scrutiny even without the burning gaze trying to garner his attention from across the aisle.

Jimin is deliberately staring at him, Hoseok is more than aware, eyes traveling up and down Hoseok's form repeatedly. All moisture leaves Hoseok's mouth and he swallows hard in an attempt to remain stoic as the situation calls for. The lingering gaze Jimin levels him with borders on lewd, the black-haired man licking his lips and blatantly winking when Hoseok makes the mistake of glancing up.

Hoseok feels his cheeks and ears burn red and turns stiffly to face the happy couple. Seokjin is smiling so widely his eyes have all but disappeared and the bride's cheeks are dusted a pretty pink, her coal-black hair swept into a curling style dotted with tiny flowers. Her shoulders are covered by a cloak of her father's design, one that Seokjin will soon remove and replace with the one their mother was cloaked with at her wedding, maroon and black silk still beautifully maintained.

The rest of the ceremony passes quickly when Hoseok begins focusing solely on the task at hand. After sharing a chaste kiss, Hoseok relieves Seokjin of his sword belt and the newlyweds practically dance down the aisle in their joy. Hoseok makes to move but is frozen in place when Jimin steps up beside him. Hurriedly, he pretends to seek a word with the minister, happy that Jimin is pushed along in the rush of the crowd as everyone heads outdoors for a lavish evening of food and wine.

Hoseok finds himself seated in a place of honor just below the head table. The princess's family is large, but as Jimin is the eldest, they are placed directly next to each other. The prince is jovial enough at first, giving most of his attention to his food and to the new bride at his side. Hoseok catches a glance of her once, all fiery red hair and pale, freckled skin. She seems timid, but it could just be Jimin's overbearingly loud presence, which gets louder with each cup of ale.

The game is up when Jimin finally gets drunk enough to slur his words, directing a heated gaze at Hoseok and gripping his thigh tightly under the table.

"Missed you," he manages to mumble out, fingertips digging into the thin fabric of Hoseok's dress breaches. Vomit rises in the back of Hoseok's throat, the touch leaving him violated and desperate and the words even more so.

"Stop!" he hisses under his breath as he tries to maintain some semblance of control. An outburst at the royal wedding would be a fine way to start his brother's married life, he scoffs.

His tone only seems to egg Jimin on further. The prince wraps an arm around Hoseok's shoulders and pulls him in close enough for Hoseok to smell the sickeningly sweet cologne he always favored.

"She's pretty, right?" Jimin winks, nodding his head toward the girl on his other side. To Hoseok's disgust, Jimin's hand travels farther up his thigh. "Come to our chambers tonight, Hoseok, I'll show you what she can do."

Hoseok visibly jumps back, unable to school his expression any longer. His words splutter out and Jimin is laughing. Heat crawls up Hoseok's skin and at first he thinks it's the mortification but then a soft voice sounds between him and Jimin.

"Prince Hoseok, you're needed in the kitchens," Taehyung interjects quietly, directing a pointed look at Jimin.The foreign prince draws back slowly, head tilted to the side in confusion.

"S-sure," Hoseok stutters, leaping from his seat and following Taehyung's guiding hand until they're well away from the party, in a deserted hallway.

Taehyung immediately closes in on him, hands on Hoseok's shoulders. "Are you alright?" he asks worriedly, looking Hoseok up and down as if checking for wounds.

Hoseok crumples to the floor, finally able to react to the intense emotional pressure he's been under since seeing Jimin again. Sobs wrack his shoulders and he can't find the words to explain to Taehyung how grateful he is to have been rescued from that situation.

"That's him, isn't it?" Taehyung muses more to himself than anything. "He's the one who-"

"Thank you," Hoseok mumbles, dashing away his tears with the back of his hand. "Thank you so much."

"You should rest," Taehyung sighs, dropping into a kneeling position in front of Hoseok.

Hoseok wishes that was a possibility. "I need to get back to the party," he says. "It's my brother's wedding."

Taehyung ponders his response and then visibly brightens. "Stick with me then! I'll show you the behind-the-scenes of our little traveling group!"

Hoseok can't help but smile at Taehyung's enthusiasm. "I'd love that," he says sincerely, taking the hand Taehyung is offering and pulling himself up to his feet. There's another quick flash of heat where their skin touches and Hoseok noticeably feels his tension lessen. "And thank you again, for everything, I mean."

Taehyung flashes another toothy grin and then leads Hoseok back into the festivities, towards the side where his friends, other singers and performers, are seated. The conversation is rowdy but never inappropriate and Hoseok eventually feels comfortable enough to laugh along with them. Every few minutes, Taehyung shoots Hoseok a questioning look to make sure he's okay and Hoseok doesn't have to fake the smiles he gives in return.

By early evening, Jimin is carried back to his chambers, too drunk to walk, and Hoseok is able to rejoin his brother to watch the entertainment. Hoseok's new acquaintances put on an excellent show for the new royal couple: there's juggling and dancing and intricate vocal medleys that pull Hoseok right to the edge of his seat. 

His reputation as a fine storyteller has earned Taehyung the coveted spot of the final performance of the night. As opposed to the dark story Hoseok had heard Taehyung tell before, this time he chooses a tale of blooming spring love, all flowers and good fairies and first kisses. Hoseok watches Seokjin pull his bride into a hug when Taehyung tells of the fantasy couple's first kiss, voice creating the perfect image of the fireworks between them.

Hoseok's heart flutters when his mind substitutes the story leads with an image of him and Taehyung under a crisp full moon, wreathed in rose petals and glowing with happiness.

.....

The day after the wedding is set aside for political parlay, most of which Hoseok isn't privy to. To his great relief, Jimin is tied up in the royal offices with the neighboring kings and Seokjin, leaving Hoseok free to roam as he wishes. His footsteps carry him immediately into the depths of the castle, where he meets several of the singers and dancers from the night before. He's greeted with cheery hellos and claps on the back as they direct him to the room Taehyung has been stationed in.

Hoseok knocks meekly, hoping not to wake Taehyung up if the younger is still sleeping. It shouldn't surprise him that the door swings open before he can even pull his hand away but he startles momentarily anyways.

"Good morning!" Taehyung says brightly. His hair is a wild mess and he's still in his underclothing but he waves Hoseok in without delay.

"To you as well," Hoseok returns, standing awkwardly in the center of the small quarters.

"Sit, sit!" Taehyung urges. "I was hoping you'd stop by today!"

Hoseok's cheeks warm up. Thoughts of Taehyung had kept him up all night and he knew as soon as the sun rose he'd seek the bard out.

"We should explore the grounds," Taehyung decides, ticking off the activities they can do one at a time. "But first, we could deal with what happened yesterday?"

The thoughts of meandering the castle grounds hand in hand with Taehyung, snacking on crisp apples and maybe dipping their toes in the lake, are replaced with Jimin's leer and his creeping hands, the salacious words he'd whispered into Hoseok's ear. Instantly, the familiar anxiety returns and Hoseok involuntarily moves to sit on a low stone bench against the wall. Taehyung joins him soon after, sitting close enough for their knees to knock together.

"Let me," he intones, extending a patient hand.

Without hesitation, Hoseok takes it, breathing heavily as the warmth of magic travels upwards from his fingertips.

"Keep him at the front of your mind, Hoseok. This is going to be difficult for both of us." There's already an edge of exhaustion in Taehyung's voice and Hoseok briefly wonders how much of a toll this truly takes on the man.

As the heat of the magic courses through him, Hoseok relives his memories of Jimin one by one. Tears fall freely from his eyes and he reaches for Taehyung's other hand without even thinking about it. To his surprise, the heat begins pouring into him from both points of contact, rushing straight to his heart where the ache is the worst.

"Good, you're doing so well, Hoseok. I've got you, just keep going."

Taehyung's words are as soothing as his magic but as more memories pour in, Hoseok finds it harder and harder to breathe. A vision of Jimin above him, smirking in that terrible way of his, as the younger mercilessly took what he wanted, what Hoseok thought that _he_  had wanted, swims behind his eyelids. Behind it, Hoseok can hear Jimin's terrible laughter, mocking even as the foreign prince rode away on his prized steed.

The magic changes course slightly and Hoseok feels it tingling all the way to his toes. He can tell his chest is heaving but his body feels locked into place, held to the earth by Taehyung's firm grip. Taehyung doesn't seem to be faring any better, his breath coming in short gasps and sweat beading across his upper lip.

"Taehyung," Hoseok breathes, pain clouding his vision. "Taehyung, please."

He thinks Taehyung will pull away and call the whole thing a failure, but instead he finds himself being pulled closer until his legs are draped over Taehyung's lap. They make eye contact for a split second before Taehyung leans in and presses his forehead directly to Hoseok's. The jolt of warm energy is so sudden and so strong that Hoseok looses an embarrassing moan.

Jimin's image swirls away like water down a drain. In its place, Hoseok sees flowers and clouds and a lake reflecting the evening sun. He is uncomfortably aware of Taehyung's proximity as his anxiety melts away and is replaced by a stirring in his stomach that is unmistakable.

Just when he thinks he can't take it anymore, Taehyung pulls away with a gasp, pupils dilated and mouth hanging open.

They are both in such a state of shock that Hoseok doesn't register his movements before he's leaning forward to kiss Taehyung's parted lips. Long fingers wrap around his chin for just a moment before Taehyung gently pushes them apart.

His smile is furtive when he finally gathers the strength to speak. "Hoseok, I need to sleep for a few hours now..."

Hoseok rushes to stand up, teetering on unsteady feet. "I-I'm sorry," he spits, stumbling back towards the door. His face is on fire, from the lingering magic coursing through his capillaries and the lingering feeling of Taehyung's soft lips on his.

Taehyung laughs and for a moment Hoseok feels sick, until he sees the genuine smile in the bard's eyes.

"Just a little rest before we head out," Taehyung clarifies. "You might not realize it yet but you probably need one too."

As if his words bring the world back into clarity, Hoseok begins to feel the fatigue in his muscles. Even his eyelids feel droopy as Taehyung moves closer to the bed, eyes watching Hoseok tentatively.

"I'll come find you again later?" Hoseok asks, backing up until he can reach out and grab the cool iron door handle.

Taehyung raises his eyebrows and bites his lower lip; Hoseok's attention zeros in on the teeth pressing into tender flesh but he quickly drags his eyes back upwards.

"If you won't get into trouble..." Taehyung starts, but effectively loses confidence in his words and gestures to his bed instead.

"S-stay?" Hoseok practically chokes out, feet carrying him forward subconsciously.

Taehyung laughs again and the sound is music to Hoseok's tired ears. "If you want," he whispers shyly and pulls the blankets back.

Hoseok toes his shoes off as Taehyung slides onto the feathery mattress. The air is still humming with the force of magic but an undercurrent of tension is present as well, only solidifying when Hoseok moves to sit on the edge of the bed. Taehyung's eyes are already drifting closed, a sleepy smile on his face and Hoseok is drawn to him like a moth to the light. Fully dressed, he tucks his legs under the blanket and rolls onto his side to face the brunette.

Taehyung's breath flutters his fringe and he's asleep before Hoseok can even get comfortable. The heavy bags under his eyes seem to have appeared in just the last few minutes and even his mouth sags with exhaustion. Hoseok smoothes out a line on Taehyung's forehead with a gentle thumb before succumbing to the sweet pull of sleep himself.

When Hoseok awakens, early afternoon light is streaming through the high, narrow windows of Taehyung's chamber. Briefly, he forgets where he is and panics but a stirring to his left jogs his memory.

"Hoseok," Taehyung purrs. "G'morning."

Taehyung's voice is rough with sleep and his features carry the heaviness of a good rest.

"Afternoon," Hoseok teases, stretching his arms languidly over his head until his knuckles scrape over the cool stone walls.

Taehyung yawns and fists at his eyes. "Still up for some exploring?"

Hoseok agrees wholeheartedly. He slips away while Taehyung changes to see his brother and ensure he isn't needed elsewhere. They choose the stables as a  rendezvous point and Hoseok gets there as quickly as possible. Rounding a corner, he spots Taehyung tossing bruised apples to a colt and its mother, grinning from ear to ear each time the horses neigh and whinny their approval.

"I'd like to have one of my own some day," he says wistfully as Hoseok approaches. Hoseok tucks the information away, thinking specifically of a sweet newborn colt in his family's stable, with a pure white coat and big, dark eyes.

"Shall we?" he finally asks when Taehyung runs out of treats.

Taehyung leads Hoseok down a path in the woods that is barely discernible to the naked eye. Somehow, Taehyung follows it without a second thought, winding them deeper and deeper into the dappled sunlight of the forest floor. Birds sing in the treetops and small creatures scurry in their wake, hopping under moss-covered logs and into all sorts of hidey-holes. Hoseok doesn't have many opportunities to explore like this, no hunting expedition or foreign dignitary to entertain, and he finds himself noticing the sheer beauty of his surroundings.

"Ah, there it is," Taehyung says gleefully, lacing his fingers with Hoseok's and pulling him forward at a faster pace.

They pass through a small opening in between branches and Hoseok feels the breath rush from his lungs. Deep in the forest, Taehyung has led them into a round clearing surrounded by young oaks and elms, their branches weaving together to form a makeshift room of sorts. Dappled sunlight filters in around the edges but the robin's egg blue sky is on full display in the center, not even a cloud to disrupt the wide expanse of color. The grass is lush and so green it's almost blue, dotted here and there by tiny blooms of lavender and white.

"Taehyung, this is wonderful," Hoseok murmurs and steps forward towards the middle of the clearing. "How did you find it?"

"Camped here a few times in my travels," Taehyung recalls, smiling proudly. "Hungry?"

The day has been such a whirlwind that only Taehyung's prompting reminds Hoseok that he's barely eaten a thing. Embarrassingly, his stomach rumbles loudly, the sound reverberating in the silent space.

Taehyung giggles softly and rolls out a worn blanket on which to spread their lunch. He unpacks some fresh bread and a thick wedge of cheese, along with some shiny apples and hard jerky. "It's no feast, but it'll fill you up."

Nothing has ever looked more delicious to Hoseok and he sinks to his knees to join Taehyung on the blanket. In companionable silence, they make a quick meal of the food Taehyung has prepared. Taehyung finishes with a particularly sloppy lick of his lips, humming and happily rubbing his tummy.

"Just what I needed," he smiles. He leans back on his elbows and admires the sky above them. The bard looks so comfortable, and strangely, feels so familiar, that Hoseok reclines by his side, letting his face fall back to soak up the sunlight.

"Me too," he agrees. Taehyung hums to himself and Hoseok doesn't try to continue a conversation. Basking in the sun and fresh air is enough.

Time passes strangely in the little clearing, marked only by the length of the songs Taehyung sings to entertain them. His voice is so lovely laid over the softer strains of birds chirping in the tree branches, Hoseok sits up just to watch him more closely. The way he cranes his neck sometimes or purses his lips, the little quirk in his smile when the tune picks up- Hoseok could watch him sing for hours.

And maybe he does, because the sun dips below the rim of the trees just as Taehyung finishes a melancholic tune about a sailor and his love lost to sea.

"We should head back," Taehyung says begrudgingly, standing up to brush off his trousers. He offers a hand to Hoseok, who takes it more than willingly and doesn't relinquish his grasp once he's on his feet. "How are you feeling?" Taehyung asks gently, thumb stroking over Hoseok's pulse point.

Hoseok thinks hard about his answer. It's been a long day, and though the ups outweigh the downs, it's still been confusing. "Lighter," he finally decides on. "Like some of the pressure is off my shoulders."

"That's good." Taehyung's voice is affectionate but he doesn't look over to meet Hoseok's eyes as they slip back through the woods.

They walk through the dusky forest for several minutes with only the chirping of grasshoppers and the wind in the trees to break the silence. Their hands are still linked tightly though and Hoseok relishes in the natural, non-magical warmth of Taehyung's palm pressed against his. Several times, Hoseok looks over to see Taehyung peeking at him out of the corner of his eyes and each time, Hoseok feels his cheeks flush scarlet.

"I'll miss you," he finally blurts. "When I have to travel home, I mean."

Taehyung's squeezes his hand gently. "I've no doubt we'll meet again before too long, Hoseok."

"You think?"

"These things have a way of working themselves out." Taehyung's answer is confident and his words leave Hoseok feeling slightly giddy, as if he's already looking forward to seeing Taehyung again before they've even departed.

Sooner than he'd like, they are outside of Hoseok's chamber door. It's drafty in the old stone halls and Hoseok wishes he'd had the forethought to pack a cloak. As if he can read minds, Taehyung rubs friction into Hoseok's bare arms, warming them to a cheery peach. His smile is adoring and Hoseok reaches up to touch his cheek, just the barest brush of his fingertips over the golden skin.

Taehyung looks down and then back up furtively. "You could kiss me again if you want to," he whispers.

Without hesitation, Hoseok leans forward. The element of surprise from the morning is gone and it makes the kiss that much more satisfying. Taehyung actually has a chance to react and he kisses back gently, lips moving in a slow rhythm with Hoseok's. He's so gentle, unassuming and never pushing for more, that Hoseok's heart swells.

They break apart when the soft thud of footsteps sounds down the corridor. Taehyung's lips are cherry red and Hoseok can feel that his ears and cheeks are colored to match. He gestures to the heavy doors of his chamber. "You could come in..."

Taehyung barely has to reach up to press a soft kiss to Hoseok's temple. "Not tonight." His words carry no rejection; on the contrary, there's the whisper of a promise in them, something to look forward to. "Goodnight, Hoseok."

.....

Hoseok sees Taehyung once more before he departs with his father to return to their own kingdom. They're in the grand courtyard of Jimin's father's castle, giving traditional farewells to the fellow royalty. Seokjin is staying there with his new wife for the time being, so he stands at the King's side, bidding his father and brother goodbye with the rest. Hoseok doesn't notice his lack of anxiety as he draws toward the end of the receiving line until he's kissing the back of a fair hand- Jimin's princess, he realizes a beat too late.

Jimin laughs, that patronizing, breathy little giggle that Hoseok used to interpret as endearing. For a split second, Hoseok feels his fight-or-flight reaction kick in but then his heart calms and he is able to collect himself.

"Prince Jimin," he says tersely, shaking the man's hand formally.

"Just gonna leave like that?" Jimin purrs, too close to his earlobe. His grip on Hoseok's hand is strong, but the one he held on Hoseok's heart has weakened considerably.

"I'll see you at the next hunt." Hoseok gives a cursory bow and spins away, the tail of his cloak swishing against Jimin's knees. He cracks a smile when he looks over to see Taehyung, standing outside his troupe's carriage, barreling over with laughter at the apparently astonished look on Jimin's face. The bard collects himself long enough to throw Hoseok a flirtatious wink before turning around to tighten the carriage's rigging and check all the bags.

Hoseok wants to go over to him, but his mother ushers him right past, towards their own waiting caravan and the long ride home.

The castle feels so big without Seokjin's presence filling it's halls. He's always around, overseeing repair projects, helping with the spring lambs, seeing to fussy children, but in his absence, everything is eerily quiet. Hoseok finds himself trying to fill as many of Seokjin's roles as possible. The work is exhausting, but it keeps his mind off of a certain set of big, round eyes and a pair of lush lips that have been haunting him since they last met.

Hoseok learns more and more about the people of the kingdom as he goes. Where once he was almost afraid to mingle with them because of his curse, he finds it a little bit easier now. And the village folk are more than welcoming, sending him off with baskets of fresh apples and wrapped pastries anytime he stops by. Some of the children take to calling him 'big brother' and he embraces the title, swinging them from his long arms and telling them silly stories under the shade of tall oak trees.

He settles into a wonderful routine, making his rounds of the castle in the morning and then heading to the village each afternoon to help where he can. He'll never take Seokjin's place, the future king, but it feels good to stay busy, both of hand and of mind. He learns the fine art of whittling from an older man who's face is carved with wrinkles and the recipe for the fluffiest pie crust from a girl of only fifteen, who doesn't hide her appraising glances. Hoseok soaks it all in, sure it will come in handy someday.

Seokjin is slated to arrive with his new wife the week before Midsummer's Eve, and Hoseok helps his father prepare by overseeing the cleaning of the couple's new wing of the castle and making sure plenty of the princess's favorite foods are on hand. He even picks flowers on his way home the day they are to come back, placing the bright yellow blooms beside their bed in a crystal vase.

However, evening comes and goes and there is still no sign of the prince's processional. Hoseok's father begins to pace the solid stone floors of the throne room when the sun falls below the horizon, making it too dark for Seokjin's group to travel even if they were close to home. The queen sits stoically at her husband's side, but when Hoseok enters to check on them, he catches her wipe away a tear.

"Father..." Hoseok starts, but he isn't sure what to say because he's worried too. Seokjin isn't one to dally and he certainly isn't the type to make unexpected stops without sending word ahead.

"Gather some riders, son. Follow the king's road and find them if you can."

Hoseok sets out immediately. His first stop is his room, to change into proper riding gear and pack a bag of fresh clothes and some food. He also takes along a few simple herbs, things for the removal of infections and the treatment of bruises and burns. He isn't sure what he'll find but he wants to be prepared. He goes straight to the armory next, alerting a few of the castle's most trusted guards that their services are needed, and taking up a sword for himself as well.

Their motley group makes it to the stable when the moon is high overhead. Hoseok's mare is stomping nervously in her stall, able to sense the tension rolling off of him in waves. He passes her a sugar cube and rubs her flanks soothingly before jumping onto her back and leading the way out.

Even with torches and the light of the moon to guide them, the forest is dark and the path narrow. Hoseok sits tall in his saddle at the front of the line, ears attuned to every cracking twig and rustling bush. They ride for hours before there's any sign of his brother, and it's an ominous one at best.

The carriage is overturned, likely a victim of a wheel stuck in the mud. Hoseok leaps quickly from his horse to inspect it further. To his horror, a bloody smear mars the fine silken upholstery inside the cabin. A few loose gemstones litter the ground, like a necklace was broken and some of its gems were scattered. There are other signs of a struggle, but the presence of his brother's small, jeweled dagger on the ground is the most chilling.

"Spread out!" Hoseok commands, drawing his sword and walking a wide circle around the scene in case he's missed anything. 

Only minutes into the search, a man returns to him with dire news.

"Bodies," he huffs out before doubling over to empty his stomach.

Hoseok follows his shaking finger and finds a horrific tableau of his brother's guards, all dead and all bloody almost beyond recognizing. His brother and the princess are not among them though, and the macabre discovery gives Hoseok hope that they might still be alive. He waves away the guards to continue their search, working out in concentric circles to cover the area.

The sun comes up and Hoseok can tell his men are weary. He sends a rider back to rouse his father so more men can be sent and makes one more sweep. His feet carry him to a gurgling brook, the water clear and teeming with tiny fish. As he looks up and down the stream bed, his eyes catch on a strip of pale pink fabric caught in a briar bush. Drops of blood dot the luxurious fabric and Hoseok knows immediately it belongs to the princess.

He shouts for his men, who come crashing through the woods with all the grace of a herd of elephants. A skilled tracker follows the nearly invisible trail of blood until they come upon a dark cave, hidden from view by vines and a flowering bush.

"Seokjin!" Hoseok calls into the dark. To his relief, there's an answer.

"Hoseok!" Seokjin's voice is rough and tired, and it certainly isn't loud enough to cover up the groan of pain that Hoseok can only guess comes from the princess.

"Can you bring her out?" he asks, stepping farther into the mouth of the cave.

A few grunts and some whimpers of pain later, Seokjin steps into the light with his bride laying limply across his arms.

"Help her," he moans weakly. Tear trails streak down his face and Hoseok longs to draw him into an embrace. His mind is stronger than his heart though and he remembers the herbs in his pack.

He instructs Seokjin to bring her out into the grass. While the men construct a makeshift litter from Seokjin's cloak and some sturdy branches, Hoseok uses the clear stream water and a few dainty green stems to make a healing poultice. Seokjin tears away the princess's gown around a nasty wound to her abdomen. The skin is red and inflamed and Hoseok flinches at the smell of it. His knowledge of herblore isn't strong enough for this, he knows, but he applies the poultice anyways, hoping it will be enough to get her back to the castle healer at least.

Their progress back to the castle is slow: not only has the princess been stabbed, but Seokjin suffers a multitude of wounds gained in the process of defending her. It gives Seokjin time to fill Hoseok in on the attack though. It was an ambush, as far as he can tell, masked men dropping from the trees just as their carriage became stuck. Seokjin's men had fought valiantly, but a particularly strong marauder had made it past their line of defense.

Seokjin is about to begin the harrowing explanation of his wife's wound when a handful of brightly dressed riders rears up in front of them.

"Halt!" one of Hoseok's men exclaims and the _snick_  of arrows being loaded into crossbows resonates throughout the trees.

Hoseok hears his name called and the familiar voice stirs his heart.

Taehyung breaks out of his pack without heed for his own safety, a small woman sitting behind him and clutching his middle. Hoseok waves down the guards and rides up to meet him, desperate for proximity even in the current situation.

"One of your men found us on the road, where is she?!" Taehyung's eyes frantically scan Hoseok's men until he sees the princess's litter. "My mother can help her!"

The men carrying the princess bring her forward at Taehyung's request and they set up a small camp just off the road. The woman riding behind Taehyung jumps down nimbly and removes a large satchel from the horses saddlebags. She opens it to reveal a plethora of herbs and flowers, tiny jars filled with unidentified tinctures, and handmade cloth bandages.

Seokjin gives his wife over only after Hoseok assures him that Taehyung can be trusted. Taehyung's mother sets to work with mortar and pestle immediately. Hoseok watches her fingers fly over the wound, cleaning it and covering it in the gooey paste. Before she covers it with the bandage, she lets her hand hover over the angry red skin and whispers a few words.

"Magic?" Hoseok asks Taehyung, just out of his brother's earshot.

"No, but it's close enough. Some say she must be a fairy or a witch, but she has spent her entire life practicing medicine." He places a hand on Hoseok's shoulder and nudges him to watch as his mother gingerly covers the wound with a bandage.

"She shouldn't be moved," the woman says decisively, so like her son in her confidence. 

"We'll make camp here for the night then," Seokjin decides. He sends another rider to meet their father on the road, knowing the king will have struck out immediately upon hearing of the attack.

Taehyung helps Hoseok with the preparations while his mother watches the princess like a bear and her cub.

"Will she make it?" Hoseok asks timidly as they gather some firewood.

"Hard to say." Taehyung's voice is apologetic but matter-of-fact. "It will take time."

"Thank you for coming so quickly," Hoseok says after a beat of silence. "She wouldn't have a chance if you hadn't come."

It surprises Hoseok when Taehyung blushes. "Actually, we were on our way to your father's castle already."

"Really? For Midsummer's Eve?"

Taehyung goes shy and Hoseok pushes him lightly to get him to talk.

"To seek full-time employment with your father. To see you," Taehyung tacks on, mumbling the words under his breath.

Hoseok pulls Taehyung in and kisses him full on the lips, desperation burning at the edges. "To see me?" he breathes against Taehyung's mouth.

Taehyung nuzzles his nose into Hoseok's cheek and nods silently. Hoseok can feel his breath quickening as his hand creeps up Taehyung's chest, fingers tangling in the intricate ties of his tunic. The sounds of the forest go silent as Taehyung's words ring in his ears.

Seokjin clears his throat and Hoseok jumps backwards as if stung. "Hoseok, father's here," he says softly, without a hint of anger.

Hoseok steals one last look into Taehyung's eyes before following his brother back up to the king's road. Their father is understandably furious, but years of rule have given him a level head. He's already arranged for comfortable transport to the get the princess back to the castle and a heavy guard to accompany her. As Seokjin fills him in on the details, including the fortunate arrival of Taehyung's party, the king's face softens and he dismounts his horse to go speak with the woman.

She bows her head humbly and insists she only did the right thing but the king pulls her into a crushing hug regardless, lifting her small frame off the ground.  She's flustered when he finally sets her down and Hoseok recognizes the pink tint on her cheeks from seeing it so many times on Taehyung's. The king takes her to the side and Hoseok can see him pulling out his coin purse which she refuses immediately. They launch into a quiet but heated discussion which Hoseok can only catch snippets of.

"I think she's bargaining for our employment," Taehyung says, sneaking up behind Hoseok to watch his mother with a bemused smile.

"There's no doubt about that now," Hoseok reasons, watching his father's face light up as they come to an apparent agreement, her small hand shaking his much larger one.

.....

Even at their slow pace, they make it back to the castle in under a day. The queen immediately goes into a motherly mode that Hoseok hasn't seen for years. She pampers the princess through every long step of her recovery, keeping Taehyung's mother nearby as well to help with the healing. For a while, the castle is at great unrest, searching for the culprits behind such a vicious attack. Seokjin and their father go out on numerous hunts, returning empty-handed each time.

The villagers do their part as well, sending well-wishes along with food, flowers, and their own opinions on the best course of recuperation. They haven't met the princess, but she's the first one in the kingdom in many years and they grow to love her immediately.

Hoseok spends the majority of his time running the daily operations of the castle, with Taehyung by his side to relieve some of the pressure. The singer is an instant celebrity around the grounds, making friends with everyone who crosses his path; they all know of his performing talents, but coming to the rescue of the princess puts him on an even higher pedestal. Hoseok beams every time Taehyung sings to the village children or puts one to sleep with a lengthy bedtime story.

Eventually, Hoseok gathers the courage to invite Taehyung out for a more private tour of the castle. They start in the dungeons, with Hoseok spooking Taehyung and the younger screeching and vaulting back up the steps. They make a pit stop in the kitchens around lunchtime to savor a fresh bowl of dumpling soup. Taehyung skips happily through the expansive gardens, stopping frequently to sniff at particularly lovely specimens. All the while, Hoseok watches him with a joyful heart, happy to simply be in his presence.

The last stop on their tour carries them all the way out to the stables. Taehyung's jaw drops when he sees the impressive array of noble horses that line the stalls. Like an entranced child, he moves from one horse to the next, speaking gently and patting their heads. Hoseok snags a bag of oats and they take turns feeding handfuls to the animals, Taehyung giggling each time a pair of horsey lips tickles his palms.

Hoseok eyes the white colt, quickly approaching full size already, and remembers how Taehyung had once longed for a horse to call his own. He isn't ready to tell the younger about his intended present just yet, but he notices how Taehyung absolutely glows when the young pony responds enthusiastically to the oats he offers. 

When the oats run out, Hoseok and Taehyung find a bench against the outside of the barn to rest on. It's nearing twilight and fireflies dance across the wide pasture spread out in front of them. Taehyung sighs dreamily and rests his head against Hoseok's shoulder. Hoseok tentatively wraps an arm around Taehyung's shoulder, pulling him in a little closer.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Taehyung asks, the question coming completely out of the blue.

"Yeah," Hoseok answers truthfully. Call it a side effect of the second fairy's blessing, but love at first sight is par for the course for a romantic like Hoseok. He isn't sure he's ever experienced it himself, but that doesn't mean he discounts it's existence.

Taehyung hums happily and snuggles in closer, his own arm coming to wrap around Hoseok's waist. The atmosphere is too nice to spoil with words, so Hoseok sits quietly and enjoys the buzz of night's arrival. Taehyung slumps comfortably against him, fitting perfectly to his side, and Hoseok lets his free hand trail across the soft fabric of Taehyung's trousers. 

He feels more than hears Taehyung's breath hitch when his hand wanders slightly higher, skimming over the top of his thigh. Taehyung's fingers press lightly into his waist and Hoseok repeats the action, moving imperceptibly higher with each pass of his hand.

"H-Hoseok," Taehyung murmurs, looking up at him with inky black eyes. The muscles in Taehyung's thighs go tense under Hoseok's fingers. Hoseok can feel his own heartbeat begin to race in time with Taehyung's quickening breath. "We shouldn't."

Hoseok's hand freezes over the tie of Taehyung's pants. "You don't want to?"

Taehyung laughs breathlessly. "Of course I want to, but shouldn't we go inside?"

Hoseok spares a glance around. Most folk are in for the night, enjoying late dinners by candlelight or putting little ones to bed. The field around the stables is deserted- even the stable boys and squires will have already packed it in for the evening. "We're alone," he assures Taehyung, looping his fingers through the knot keeping Taehyung's pants laced.

Taehyung's mouth hangs open slightly, tongue pushed out against his lower lip, and Hoseok knows he won't say no.

"Kiss me then," Taehyung demands, but the force of his words is lost in the way his voice breaks when Hoseok undoes his trousers in one easy tug.

Hoseok kisses Taehyung hard this time, pushing his tongue past Taehyung's lips to taste the sweet flavor of the blueberry tarts they'd enjoyed earlier. Taehyung spreads his legs a little wider on the bench, allowing Hoseok the room to slip his hand into his breeches and feel the growing hardness within. Hoseok swallows up the panting groans Taehyung emits, committing each one to memory. And Taehyung is so beautifully vocal, keening when Hoseok finally wraps his long fingers around the base of his erection.

Hoseok experiments with sinking his teeth gently into Taehyung's lower lip, causing the younger to buck his hips up and growl low in his throat. His kisses a trail down to Taehyung's throat, exposed in the wan moonlight and begging to be kissed. He's sloppy, he knows, but Taehyung doesn't wipe at the trail of spit he leaves across his jaw and down to his adam's apple; he's too occupied with the hand stroking leisurely at his hardness.

Hoseok stops when Taehyung begins fighting at the strings of his pants.

"Let me," Taehyung almost begs, dipping his head to suck a dark mark above Hoseok's collarbone.

Hoseok should want Taehyung to touch him too, but something stops him. He'd rather watch Taehyung fall apart without being hindered by trying to pleasure him as well. Taehyung pouts when Hoseok pushes his hand away and undoes his pants himself.

"Come here," Hoseok whispers huskily, pulling at Taehyung's fingers until the younger understands and slips over to straddle his waist.

Hoseok runs his palm across the top of Taehyung's erection, slicking away the pre-come that has already oozed out. He uses the slickness to pass his hand up and down Taehyung's shaft again, bringing him to full hardness while his other hand uncovers his own aching cock.

"You look so good," Taehyung moans, tangling his fingers in Hoseok's hair and pulling him up into another crushing kiss. Hoseok lets Taehyung lead while he gains better control, gripping himself with his dominant hand while his somewhat clumsier hand wraps around Taehyung. When he's got the rhythm figured out, he urges Taehyung closer until he can get both of their cocks in one hand.

Taehyung's shaft feels like velvet against his, hot and solid and undeniably beautiful. Taehyung himself is a masterpiece, leaning backwards with his face drawn in sharp relief, mouth open and chest heaving.

"Feels so good," the younger manages. He grinds his hips into Hoseok's touch and Hoseok takes the hint to squeeze a little tighter, increasing his pace simultaneously.

His brain can't function properly, but he manages to whisper into Taehyung's ear continuously as he strokes them both closer to their ends. Taehyung whimpers against Hoseok's chest as he comes, sounding so small and so overwhelmed that Hoseok can't help but pull him in closer. He finishes soon after with adrenaline pumping through his veins and Taehyung's name on his lips.

.....

Taehyung is leery to make anything about their relationship public, for fear of drawing undue attention to his mother, who's sole focus has been rehabilitating the princess. That doesn't stop Hoseok from beaming with pride the first time one of the villager's asks him where his little shadow is. He's bursting to shout it from the top of the highest tower, to announce it to the entire kingdom and beyond. He even pens a short letter to Yoongi, who's been inquiring after him recently and deserves an update.

He just might be in love.

He leads Taehyung around with interlocked fingers, checking on the townspeople just as he did before the ambush. They seem happy to see him back to his routine, and even happier with Taehyung in tow. Their relationship becomes an item of hot gossip around the village, with many of the old wise women claiming to have foreseen Taehyung's coming as a blessing to the kingdom.

Taehyung blushes anytime someone brings it up in public, but he lets Hoseok know exactly how he feels anytime they are alone. They don't exactly share chambers, but the queen has made a habit of having her handmaidens leave extra sets of smallclothes in Hoseok's washroom.  Even she, usually so cautious when someone new enters Hoseok's life, falls for Taehyung's charms.

Many words remain unsaid between them, like their intentions for the future and their true feelings. Hoseok is at peace with that though, because he has learned to read into the depths of Taehyung's gazes and hear the unspoken words in Taehyung's midnight murmurs. Taehyung touches him with the reverence of someone worshipping at an altar, tender and careful, with absolute adoration. It's not something Hoseok has ever experienced before, even with Yoongi, and certainly not with Jimin. He returns the affection wholeheartedly, not needing anything more than what they already have but happy to accept Taehyung's advances when they're offered.

As the princess recovers, she insists on being among the people of the kingdom to thank them for the kindness and support they have shown her. Hoseok volunteers to walk her down to the village and stays close to her horse's side every step of the way. The fall weather is exceptional for such an outing, clear skies and the hint of a breeze kissing Hoseok's skin as they walk. The princess asks endless questions, all of which Hoseok answers happily. He's grateful just to have a chance to get to know his new sister-in-law, and to be her escort is even more of an honor.

They make it to the village by midday and are greeted by hundreds of well-wishers. The princess's pony shies once when the crowd draws too close but Hoseok soothes him with a quiet word or two. They barely make it to the town center before Hoseok's arms are stacked high with gifts for the future queen: offerings of fine cloth, flowers, ripe vegetables and baked goods. He pauses to unload some of the gifts into the pony's saddlebags while the princess leans down to accept a baby into her arms, it's mother begging her for the blessing of a kiss. 

Hoseok keeps an eye on her as she repeats the gracious act with several other infants. He knows the villagers would never hurt her, but falling off her pony could cause her recovery to be for naught. He's just about to suggest they get moving when he feels a tug at the hem of his tunic. Turning, he sees a small child, dirty face and hungry eyes, staring up at him with a shiny red apple in her hands.

"Ah!" he says excitedly, rubbing the top of the little girl's hair playfully. "The princess will love this for a sweet treat after dinner!"

The girl blushes furiously but shakes her head. "It's for you," she insists, though her tone is still shyly sweet.

Hoseok can't help the smile that breaks out over his features. The villagers, and especially the children, have become so important to him over the last few months.

"Well, don't mind if I do then," he says, accepting the apple from her outstretched hands and giving it a quick polish with his shirt. He takes a hearty bite, licking his lips to taste every bit of sweetness. "Delicious!" he declares, lifting the apple for another bite.

Before his teeth can close through the skin of it, his vision blurs and there's a puff of silvery smoke. He can just make out an eerily familiar face, cackling and sneering, before the world goes entirely dark.

.....

Taehyung is in the yard watching a rousing bout of swordplay when the alarm is raised. He hasn't been at the castle long enough to recognize the particular call, but he can sense the urgency. Immediately, all the men at practice drop their wooden swords and take up real steel to rush the front gates. Taehyung knows better than to follow, but he is also keenly aware that Hoseok has taken the princess out for the day and could be in harm's way if there's trouble.

To stay out of the way, Taehyung hops up on top of a low wall, well within view of the castle's gate. A thick knot of people has built up, making it hard to see who sits atop the horse pushing its way through the middle. There's a slight break in the crowd and Taehyung catches a peek of a shimmering purple gown, the same color the princess had worn on her way out this morning. What he doesn't see is Hoseok's familiar shiny black hair or the crimson cloak he'd donned before slipping out of his room before the sun rose.

Taehyung leaps down from his perch, anxiety building in the pit of his stomach. Hoseok wouldn't leave the princess's side, especially after her horrific wound and lengthy recovery, and Taehyung can just _feel_  that something is wrong. He winds his way through the flock of people carefully, but doesn't make it near the princess until she's dismounted and made it into the great hall.

At first, the guards bar him from entrance, but one of them recognizes him and waves him through. Taehyung doesn't miss the pitying look in the man's eyes and it only spurs him on faster. 

Nobody even turns their head when he bursts into the room, panting and out of breath. They are all focused on something in the room's center. The king stands with his arm around his queen's shoulder and Seokjin is humming around his princess like a worried bumblebee. Taehyung can see the castle's cleric, and just to his left, his own mother. The crestfallen grimace on her face is enough to make him feel ill: she looks as if she has no idea what to do and that must mean that whoever's injured- and he can only assume it's Hoseok- is hurt beyond repair.

He steps forward slowly, fully aware that he has no right to impose on a family in grief, especially the royal family, but he has to confirm it with his own eyes. Nothing can prepare him for the sight he's met with when he finally breaks into the small circle.

Hoseok is laid out on a plinth of wood. He's still wearing the plush cape he'd chosen carefully, and his creamy tunic looks unmarred by dirt or blood. His face is smooth and serene, peaceful in its stillness. His dark hair is swept slightly off his forehead because of his positioning, and his big round eyes are closed delicately.

He looks like he's sleeping, but Taehyung knows better.

There is a stench of dark magic permeating the room. When Taehyung sees the half-eaten apple still clutched tightly in the princess's hand, bile rises in the back of his throat. He rushes forward but stops short when he thinks better of it. The princess's face falls when she sees him and she reaches out to hand him the fruit.

"A sleeping curse?" he asks softly, looking at his mother for confirmation. She nods dejectedly; they both know that the removal of curses is well beyond either of their powers.

The king clears his throat and squares his shoulders, ever a leader even in times of familial despair. "Call for the fairies, see if they can offer us some form of help." A squire rushes off to fulfill his wishes. "And let's take him somewhere more private, please."

The queen bursts into tears before they make it out of the room. Taehyung can feel tears of his own building behind his eyelids, but he refuses to give up on Hoseok so easily. Magic is only an illusion, and all illusions have their weak points. He moves to Hoseok's side, and strokes a finger down the sharp line of his jaw.

"I'll save you," he murmurs under his breath, "I promise."

Taehyung spends the rest of the day sitting at Hoseok's side, his hand laid over Hoseok's on the older's chest. For the most part, he isn't alone, with other members of the family and household cycling in and out. Night covers the room in darkness, but a maid from the kitchen comes in bearing a candle and a light blanket that she drops lightly over Taehyung's drooping shoulders. He attempts to nod in thanks but can barely move his head from the exhaustion.

He stays through the night, trying his best not to sleep but waking several times with his head cushioned on Hoseok's forearm. Each time, he hurries to check Hoseok's temperature, to make sure he hasn't slipped away in the short time he'd drifted off. The dawn comes without any change in Hoseok's condition and Taehyung relives the previous day, sitting in quiet contemplation as people come and go in a blur. For three days, he sits on the same wooden stool, his back crooked from the strain. If not for the kindness of Hoseok's family and friends, he wouldn't even take the time out of his silent reverie to eat, but they somehow remember to bring him soup and bread and wine to wash it all down.

When the fairies finally come, they ride right into the castle on three beautiful white ponies. They're dressed for travel, in matching breeches and tunics of pale blue, yellow, and pink. Each one bears an unmistakably anguished expression, their foreheads wrinkled and lips pursed in thought. Taehyung is the first to see them and stumbles over himself in his rush to garner their attention.

"This way!" he yells, pointing towards the small chamber where Hoseok has been moved. He looks so small laying on the soft bed they've made up, covered to his chest by a thick blanket. His cheeks are still colored, a cruel reminder that he lingers somewhere just below the surface, trapped by hateful magic.

The fairies come in in single file, Sojin leading the way, with Minah and Hyeri not far behind. They each take a turn examining Hoseok's seemingly lifeless body, feeling for breath and checking his pulse methodically. Once they're satisfied, they move away to confer in quiet voices. Taehyung can see they're struggling and his heart drops a little farther. If they can't heal Hoseok, he's not sure it will be possible.

Finally, the king grows impatient. "Is there anything we can do?" He takes hold of the queen's hand in anticipation of their answer.

Sojin steps away from the group. "A sleeping curse is a terrible bit of magic," she sighs. "There's only one dark fairy in this realm who would conjure such a fearful spell."

"Yura..." Taehyung breathes out.

The others seem to have come to the same conclusion: the queen lets out a loud sob and Seokjin buries his face in his bride's shoulder.

"This type of curse is the hardest to break," Sojin continues, her words causing Minah and Hyeri to nod in agreement. "But there is a way."

"We'll do anything!" the queen cries out, moving to her son's bedside as more tears stream down her lovely cheeks.

Taehyung startles visibly when the three women turn their fae eyes on him. He can feel the tendrils of their magic reaching out to him and opens himself up to the search. Minah heaves a sigh of relief and Hyeri steps forward with a tentative smile.

"The only thing that can break a sleeping curse as strong as this one," she explains, "is True Love's Kiss."

The room goes totally silent as this new information sinks in. Just as the fairies had turned to him, so do the rest of the eyes in the room, one by one. Taehyung feels his cheeks heat up in time with the hope in his heart. He knows his true feelings for Hoseok, has known them since the very first time their eyes met over the length of the great hall, but he can't truly guarantee Hoseok feels the same. 

"Taehyung, please," the queen pleads, ushering him forward.

In a haze, Taehyung stands and crosses the room in three great strides. Standing at Hoseok's side with this knew knowledge feels significantly different than only an hour ago, when he held so little hope that Hoseok would ever wake up. He keenly feels the great mantle of pressure that he's been yoked with. 

Love the prince and he will wake up; anything less and he'll sleep forever.

The queen places her dainty hand in the small of Taehyung's back, gently guiding him forward. Taehyung smoothes his palm across Hoseok's forehead and gathers up his hands. They're warm and the sensation spurs Taehyung on. He leans forward over Hoseok's still form, close enough to make out the tiny beauty mark on the prince's upper lip that he's always found so endearing.

"Hoseok, I love you," he whispers, closing the distance between them and pressing his lips firmly to Hoseok's.

.....

Sleeping curses are fickle creatures. Unlike many might believe, they're not dreamless states. In fact, Hoseok's mind races with images and memories. He recalls things far beyond his normal reach: catching tadpoles with Seokjin when he was barely three summers old, the papery thin skin of his grandmother before she passed away, even the soft fur of the puppy he'd rescued from a collapsed byre.

Most frighteningly, he can perfectly recall the face of a woman leaning over what he can only guess is his bassinet. Her eyes are as coal black as her silky hair. She has a wicked grin and although Hoseok can see that she's speaking, he can't make out the words. He can feel his heart constrict and his body go cold when she turns away. Although he hasn't seen her since then, he knows exactly who she is.

As suddenly as his entire world had gone dark, light comes pouring in.

Hoseok struggles to open his eyes against the onslaught, and gasps when he finally does. Inches away and staring intently at him, there's a pair of round, chocolatey eyes. The initial shock wears off and Hoseok can recognize who he's looking up at.

"Tae?" His voice cracks from disuse but Taehyung's wide smile proves that it is enough.

Before Hoseok can even question what's happened, Taehyung is pushed to the side as his family surrounds him, bombarding him with information and crying and laughing. Hoseok can't come to grips with everything at once. His father insists on more information about the perpetrator while Seokjin's only concern now is whether his princess was the intended target. The queen can't contain her tears, peppering his cheeks and forehead with salty kisses.

The fairies leave soon after Hoseok wakes up, for fear that their evil counterpart will sense their concentration of magic and return to the castle. The castle staff who have gathered disperse slowly as well, content that their youngest prince is in capable hands. When just the royal family and Taehyung remain, Hoseok moves to stand up.

"You should rest, brother," Seokjin insists, rushing to take Hoseok by the elbow.

Unintentionally, Hoseok laughs. "I think I've had enough rest for a lifetime."

The queen eyes him warily but shoos Seokjin away to be with his bride. Hoseok can see Taehyung is about to follow and calls out to him to stay. He respectfully asks his mother and father for some time alone and they oblige with caution. His mother isn't turned fully towards the door before she sneaks his father a smile.

With them gone, the room feels so small. Taehyung stands in the corner like Hoseok might reprimand him, and if not for the ache in his limbs, Hoseok would run to erase the unsure look on his beautiful face.

"Taehyung, you saved me," he says quietly, reaching into the distance between them to beckon the younger forward. Taehyung nods and moves a step closer. "How?"

Taehyung flushes red from his collar to his hairline and Hoseok holds in a smart remark about how perfectly adorable he is, too intent on finding out how Taehyung was able to help him.

"I just... kissed you?" Taehyung, who is normally so naturally eloquent, seems tongue-tied, and his answer makes little sense.

"A kiss?" Hoseok muses, leaning against his previous resting place and pondering Taehyung's response. He knows already that Taehyung's magic isn't the physically healing kind like his mother's, so that's ruled out. And he also knows that there's only one kind of kiss that could possibly cure something as malicious as a sleeping curse.

The realization is like a load of bricks dropping into his stomach.

When he looks up, he can see in Taehyung's eyes that the other knows he's realized the meaning behind his words. He still feels the need to verbalize it though because it feels impossible, unreal.

"True Love's Kiss," he states, gaze never leaving Taehyung's face so he can see as it shifts slightly from a look of embarrassment to one bordering on pride.

"Yeah," the younger replies, "it was the only way to bring you back."

A thousand emotions wash over Hoseok and he clutches the edge of his temporary bed for support. Only one thing is at the forefront of his mind: he needs confirmation before he can believe that any of this is even real and not a vision brought on by the curse.

Something primal breaks his words apart when he finally gathers the courage to speak. "Say it... please."

Taehyung moves into him, pressing their bodies together for the first time in days. Hoseok can feel the goosebumps rising on his own skin, tempered by the heat of Taehyung's body. The younger closes his eyes tightly and chews at his lower lip for a moment before opening his mouth to speak, and when he finally does, his lips brush against Hoseok's with each word.

"I love you."

The three words that Hoseok has longed to hear for his entire life linger between them in the still air of the chamber. Hoseok wishes he could reach out and pluck them away, hide them in a satchel or burn them onto his skin, so he can keep them forever, just the way they are now: pure and real and so very important. Taehyung doesn't elaborate, he doesn't need to. The weight of the confession counterbalances the anxiety Hoseok has harbored for so long, a tipping of the scale that brings him into equilibrium for the first time in his life.

His relief is only outweighed by the overwhelming happiness that floods his system, spreading from the core of his body outwards. Briefly, he thinks the feeling is incredibly similar to Taehyung's magic coursing through his being.

He wraps his fingers around Taehyung's slender wrists, pulling the younger impossibly closer.

The words he's longed to say for so long spill out like water over the highest cliff, refreshing and terrifying and altogether exhilarating. By the time his confession is finished, he's out of breath and doesn't have the energy to protest when Taehyung leads him gently back to his royal chamber. They don't sleep at all, whether as an after effect of the curse or due to the wandering hands and lips that don't still for hours, but morning still comes all too soon.

.....

Life doesn't return to normal for Hoseok. The after-effects of the sleeping curse leave him slightly on edge, and make rest difficult. Taehyung hovers at his side constantly, singing mellow lullabies and stroking his hands and face. The king and queen leave them to their own devices, ensured by Taehyung that he can find a way to soothe Hoseok's tired soul.

Hoseok knows he's caused too much trouble when Taehyung comes to him with a solution he can't bear to agree to.

"Hoseok," he starts timidly, "I could help you put this pain away, if you wanted."

It would be easy enough to let Taehyung lay his hands on him and send magic rushing through his veins like he's done before. The pain and residual fear from the curse would be numbed, scar tissue on his heart with no ability to hurt him again. But Hoseok knows from experience that erasing the ache of that time will also dull the happy memories too; he no longer feels the pain of Jimin's betrayal, but the good memories they shared are all dimmed as well, and it's the same with Yoongi.

He can't bear to dull the shine in his heart from waking up to Taehyung's adoring eyes or hearing those simple words for the first time. He doesn't want to lose the butterfly kisses of Taehyung's fingertips against his cheeks as they laid in bed that first night, tasting and testing until the sun broke the horizon.

"I have a better idea," Hoseok decides, heaving himself out of bed and searching for some outerwear. "Let's go to the stables."

Taehyung seems startled, but dresses quickly to match Hoseok's pace. They stop for breakfast in the kitchens and cause quite a stir: Hoseok has been shuttered in his chambers for days and the cooks and handmaidens are thrilled to see him out and about. They're treated to crusty bread fresh from the oven with golden honey to spread over it and sent packing with cloth-wrapped cheeses and a vessel of mild wine.

"They're happy to see you," Taehyung muses, squeezing Hoseok's hand in his own.

The simple gesture, after they've gone through so much, makes Hoseok's heart skip a beat. He kisses Taehyung lightly on the cheek and then pulls him on faster, eager to reach the stables now that he's finally left his self-made prison.

They make it to the pasture just as the stable hands are bringing out some of the younger horses to burn off energy under the morning sun. Among the darker, spotted colts, the white horse Hoseok had set his heart on so long ago stands out like a shining beacon.

"Beautiful!" Taehyung exclaims as he climbs up to straddle the wooden fence penning the animals in. "Look at them go!"

Hoseok watches with delight as Taehyung's eyes zero in on the white horse, speeding around the outer ring like he was made to run. The beast's muscles bunch and lengthen under his glowing coat and he bears the unmistakable mark of something otherworldly. Hoseok joins Taehyung on the fence for a better look.

"He's magnificent," Hoseok observes, nodding towards the playful young horse.

Taehyung nods enthusiastically, mouth gaping as he continues to track the horse around the field.

Hoseok clears his throat before speaking again. "He's yours, if you'll have him."

Taehyung is so lost in his observation that he almost automatically just nods in agreement again but as Hoseok's words sink in, he turns his head slowly to face Hoseok.

"You're teasing!" he accuses, hope flashing across his dark eyes before they flit back to the horse.

"I wouldn't. I've wanted to give him to you for months but it never seemed like the right time." Hoseok waits with bated breath as the information sinks in. Finally, Taehyung seems to realize that Hoseok means it and the horse really is all his.

"Thank you!" Taehyung yells, loud enough to startle some of the nearby foals. He flings himself across the last bit of space between them and pulls Hoseok into a crushing embrace. "Thank you, I love you!"

The words are sweeter in Hoseok's ears than any melody could ever be and they taste just as fine when he gets to return them.

"I love you too, Taehyung, so much."

Taehyung begs for a ride on his new pet, so Hoseok flags down one of the stable boys and has him outfit the horse for a short ride. No sooner is his saddle strapped down then Taehyung is throwing a leg over the horse's back and starting a wild spin around the field. There's an instant synergy between mount and rider that makes Hoseok bubble up with pride. Of course Taehyung has been on horseback his entire life traveling with his little band of entertainers, but this is the first time the horse he rides has been _his_  alone, not community property. The sheer joy in the younger's face makes Hoseok want to give him the whole stable just to see it forever.

Taehyung pulls up beside him with an expert grip on the reins, short of breath and smiling so wide his eyes disappear. The horse beneath him paws the ground, ready for another go, but Hoseok lays a hand on the reins to keep Taehyung just a moment longer.

"What will you name him?" he asks, interested to see what Taehyung will come up with.

The younger pauses to think, hand patting the animal's side absentmindedly. His eyes light up when he makes a decision.

"His name is Fate," Taehyung says with immense satisfaction. He leans down and gives Hoseok one lingering kiss before speeding off again, whooping and laughing as the horse flies over the grassy field. Hoseok's smile widens further, the love in his heart swelling until he feels he might burst with it.

At the advice of one of the handlers, Taehyung doesn't keep the young horse out for too long. Hoseok sees the begrudging look in his eyes as he relinquishes the reins to a stable boy. They stay long enough for Taehyung to participate in wiping down the horse's coat and to feed him a few sugar cubes. Hoseok marvels at the incredible bond Taehyung has already formed with the animal when the younger leans his forehead against the bridge of the colt's nose, whispering a promise to visit again soon.

Taehyung skips and laughs as they walk back to the castle, blood pulsing with adrenaline and happiness. His hands never leave Hoseok's body and their teasing touches don't go unnoticed. Hoseok feels himself getting more and more flustered as they go.

"I smell like a horse," Taehyung jokes, sniffing at his underarm when they make it back to Hoseok's chambers. "I should probably take a bath."

A long bath sounds like a perfect way to spend the afternoon and Hoseok can think of other benefits as well. He hangs his head out the door to get the attention of one of his mother's maidens and asks her to draw hot water from the springs to fill the small pool in their bath house. Taehyung strips away one sweaty piece of clothing at a time until he's left in only his grimy smallclothes, and even through the dirt Hoseok has to fight back the desire to pin him to the bed.

After an agonizing wait, the handmaiden returns to shyly tell Hoseok his bath is ready. He slips a coin into her hand for the promise of some privacy, which she accepts with a stuttering _thank you_  and becomingly crimson cheeks.

Taehyung doesn't seem surprised at all by Hoseok's forwardness when he's pushed gently into the steaming bath chamber. The pool is just large enough for two, a fact that's impossible to miss judging by the younger's sly grin.

Hoseok presses his hands over Taehyung's when the bard goes to undo his own laces. "Let me," he directs, deft fingers pulling easily at the cording.

Taehyung's clothes fall away into a heap at his feet, revealing every inch of golden skin that Hoseok has longed to see in more than just peeks and streaks of moonlight. He looks unreal, with the sheen of sweat and steam giving him an ethereal glow and making each one of his lean muscles stand out in glorious detail.

"You too," Taehyung encourages, a hint of shyness creeping into his voice.

Hoseok visibly trembles as he undoes his own underclothing, chills rising on each inch of skin he exposes despite the heat rushing through his veins. When he's as bare as Taehyung, he steps into the hot water of the bath. Taehyung follows right behind him, a reassuring hand in the small of his back. If Hoseok isn't mistaken, there's a small pulse of magic where their skin meets, just enough to calm his mind, and he wonders again how he found someone as perfect for him as Taehyung.

He sinks into the bath with a satisfied groan, eyes closed and breathing finally a little steadier. Taehyung slides onto the underwater bench beside him, their naked thighs pressed tightly against each other in the small space.

"Thank you again," Taehyung murmurs into his ear before resting his head gently on Hoseok's shoulder.

"It's the least I could do," Hoseok sighs contentedly, his hand moving automatically to rest on Taehyung's leg. "You saved me- from more than one curse, actually."

Taehyung nuzzles closer, his lips caressing the pulse point in Hoseok's throat. "My reasons weren't entirely unselfish, you know." He kisses a little more insistently, up and down the column of Hoseok's neck. "I've loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you, Hoseok."

Hoseok feels every muscle in his body clench as he remembers Taehyung's question about love at first sight so long ago. He pulls away so he can get a grip on Taehyung's shoulders and hold him at arm's length long enough to get a good look at him. "You're incredible, you know that, right?"

Taehyung laughs, boisterous and full of joy, the same emotion filling Hoseok's brain and body.

"Incredibly smelly," he says lightly, reaching around Hoseok for a bar of lavender-scented soap and a washcloth. "Help me out a little?"

Hoseok is flustered by Taehyung's ability to gloss over the obvious tension between them, but he takes the cloth anyways, dipping it into the steaming water. Taehyung turns so his back is to Hoseok and the older man washes off the day's ride with a soft touch. His mind wanders as his hand moves over the planes of Taehyung's back and he watches the sudsy water drip down the length of his spine. When he's finished with Taehyung's back, he spins the younger around and repeats the process on his chest, body temperature rising with each brush of skin on skin.

Taehyung takes over when he's clean, removing the cloth from Hoseok's shaking fingers to return the favor. He takes a more direct approach, free hand massaging whatever tense muscles he can reach while his other methodically cleanses Hoseok's skin. Hoseok melts into the touch, eyes drifting closed as his mind focuses in on each point of contact.

Taehyung's hand slips under the surface of the water, the washcloth floating away as he grips the front of Hoseok's thighs. "Done," he whispers, crawling over Hoseok's lap to straddle him. His hands trail lightly up Hoseok's sides and he shivers despite the growing heat in his core.

Before he can stop himself again, Hoseok pulls Taehyung down, tilting his head for a deeper kiss. The fire in his stomach erupts as he licks into Taehyung's mouth, blunt nails digging into the dimples in the younger's lower back. Taehyung mewls and arches into him, splashing water over the edge of the little pool and bringing their lower bodies into direct contact.

"Hoseok, your room," Taehyung whines between kisses, sliding backwards on his thighs a few inches.

Hoseok knows Taehyung is right, but he has to will himself to separate from the younger long enough to make it back through the castle. The thoughtful handmaiden has laid out robes for them and he wraps Taehyung up quickly before rushing back through the now dark halls of his home. He takes a torch from one of the walls and places it into a holder in his own room, the warm, orange glow contrasting delicately with the wan light of the moon.

Hoseok isn't capable of contemplating the mood of the room for long before Taehyung is pushing him easily against the cool stone wall. In seconds, their robes are forgotten as searching hands find all the little places they've been longing for. Taehyung seems particularly drawn to Hoseok's back, teasing his nails up and down until Hoseok can't contain his shivers. He spins and puts Taehyung in his former place, lacing their fingers together and pressing the back of Taehyung's hands into the wall.

"I've waited for this for so long," Hoseok breathes into the soft dip above Taehyung's collarbone. His lips move farther down at a slow pace as he stops every few inches to suckle fresh pink marks into Taehyung's glowing skin. He skims his teeth over Taehyung's hipbone, tongue lapping over the scrape, and the younger's hips move forward.

"I want you," Taehyung moans without elaboration but Hoseok understands. The physical acts are irrelevant on their own, it's the matter of doing them with each other that makes this moment so vital.

Hoseok sinks down to his knees and leans his forehead against the hot skin of Taehyung's thigh for just a moment. He's been imagining this since before the reappearance of the dark fairy and he wants to savor every second of it. Taehyung squirms and Hoseok opens his eyes to see the very insistent situation in front of him.

He draws in a deep breath and glances up at Taehyung through his lashes. The younger looks ravenous above him, lips shiny with spit and eyes almost wild with desire. Hoseok maintains their eye contact as he takes Taehyung into his mouth inch by inch. Taehyung's eyes flutter shut as Hoseok begins working him up and down. The way his body responds makes Hoseok's own blood rush south, each twitching fingertip and barely perceptible thrust of the younger's hips driving him slowly insane.

Taehyung reaches down and threads his fingers through Hoseok's dark hair. He uses just enough pressure to stop Hoseok's motions and get the older to look up at him.

"Hoseok, touch me," he pleads, chest heaving and back arched away from the cold stone

"I-." Hoseok is about to argue that he _is_  touching Taehyung already but then the meaning of Taehyung's words sink in. "Oh, Taehyung, I've never..."

"I trust you," Taehyung says simply, the ghost of a smile breaking through.

Hoseok has never believed anything more in his life, and if Taehyung trusts him then he knows he can do his best. He replaces Taehyung's erection in his mouth with two fingers, slicking them up liberally before placing the first at Taehyung's entrance. Taehyung puts his leg up over Hoseok's shoulder and then stills his breathing for a moment as Hoseok pushes gently into him. The older tries to replicate what feels good for him, crooking his finger and drawing it in and out slowly.

When the motion becomes easier, Hoseok adds a second finger. Taehyung stifles a cry by biting into the back of his own hand, his brows knitted together as he tries to remain quiet. Hoseok stretches him open as smoothly as possible, spreading his fingers and adding another when Taehyung's body relaxes around him. Taehyung's muffled grunts quickly become pleads for more and Hoseok pulls away entirely to move them to his feather bed.

Taehyung lays back on the bed immediately, legs spread just wide enough for Hoseok to slot himself in between.

"God, you're beautiful," Hoseok mumbles, kissing his way slowly up Taehyung's inner thigh before moving up to kiss his lips again. "I love you." He stalls, worried that he won't do this right and will end up hurting the one person he loves the most.

Taehyung can clearly sense his apprehension, wrapping his legs around Hoseok's lower back and pulling the older down on top of himself. "I've got you," he assures Hoseok. He wiggles a little lower until Hoseok's length prods bluntly at his hole. "And I love you."

Hoseok lets Taehyung pull him down by the hips until he breaches the tight ring of muscle around Taehyung's entrance. He lets out a choked little sob, unused to being in this position and almost overwhelmed by the feeling.

"Move, Hoseok," Taehyung urges him, tipping his head to the side to kiss Hoseok's forearm where his hand is gripped firmly into the down comforter. "You won't hurt me, I promise."

Hoseok does as he's told, pushing his hips towards the bed as slowly as possible until he feels himself bottom out. Taehyung encourages him with more kisses on any bit of skin he can reach, words of sweet praise and love flowing from his lips.

Hoseok finds his rhythm with the younger's help, the movements becoming fluid as Taehyung arches up to meet each thrust. Taehyung is a vision beneath him with his hair sticking up at all angles and his muscles clenching and relaxing with each movement.

"I love you, I love you," he repeats over and over, the words meaning more to him now than they ever have. 

Taehyung tries to respond but his voice is lost among a string of moans and whimpers. His eyes say enough though and Hoseok dips to kiss him again. Taehyung mumbles something about being close and Hoseok fumbles to reach between them and stroke him to his end. Just as he twitches in Hoseok's hand, there's a flicker of hot magic in Taehyung's fingertips where they're buried into Hoseok's sides.

Taehyung comes in a sticky mess between them, Hoseok's name on his tongue and his magic flowing wildly between them. The heat and overwhelming pleasure combine to bring Hoseok to an abrupt end of his own and he spills deep inside Taehyung before he can pull away. His arms collapse weakly and he falls onto Taehyung's chest. They breathe unevenly together for a few beats of silence before Hoseok finds the strength to lift his head and kiss Taehyung on his jaw.

Taehyung leans up on his elbows, careful not to jostle Hoseok. "I've never lost control of my magic before," he says warily. "Are you alright?"

Hoseok can hardly believe the question. He sits up and drags Taehyung to the head of the bed to lean back against the plush pillows. "I'm the one who should be asking if _you're_  alright," Hoseok tuts, dragging his fingers through the mess he's left inside Taehyung's abused thighs. 

Taehyung shivers when Hoseok's searching fingers brush over his sensitive entrance. "More than alright," he says huskily, voice so low it gives Hoseok the chills.

They lay in bed with their legs wound together for a long while until the sticky mess they've made dries up enough to move around the chamber. Scented water sits in a basin on Hoseok's nightstand and he dips a strip of cloth into it to clean Taehyung up. Each movement is deliberate as he burns the image of Taehyung's marked body into his mind like a roadmap. He wipes himself down much more quickly, eager to crawl under the blankets and just _be_  with Taehyung again.

He thinks Taehyung has fallen asleep when the younger's breathing evens out, but as always, he's surprised.

"Do you think it can be like this forever?" Taehyung asks earnestly, warm palm pressing into Hoseok's stomach.

Hoseok has no doubt in his mind that the connection they share goes beyond anything this realm could offer. "Happily ever after," he muses, kissing Taehyung's temple and drawing him in for a much needed night of sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Extended author notes can be found at http://taethereal.tumblr.com/post/123156786757/touch-of-magic


End file.
